Little Five Points Atlanta, Georgia
A few blocks to the south and east of the far southern reaches of the Highlands lies a neighborhood with more attitude per square acre than perhaps the rest of the city combined. Geographically dubbed Little Five Points, this conglomeration of secondhand shops, piercing parlors, funky bars and music venues sprang up around the corner from where Euclid and McLendon Avenues converge on busy Moreland Avenue. Since the designation "Five Points" was long-ago granted to the downtown train station where the five main MARTA lines come together, the five points formed by this busy east-side intersection assumed the moniker Little Five Points, or more tersely, L5P.
Touching on the old neighborhoods of Inman Park and Candler Park, much of the real estate in L5P is--somewhat ironically if not surprisingly--priced well beyond the range of the young rebels that flock to its commercial district. Many nicely-restored bungalows and even post-Civil War era homes line the peaceful streets nearby, including a good number of respectable bed-and-breakfasts.
Meanwhile, droves of what can best be summed up as the "alternative" crowd guard the sidewalks and street corners of the busy commercial area. Unchallenged headquarters of the local scowl crowd, you'll see a healthy cross-section of the young, rebellious, and rock-and-roll youth that Atlanta and her suburbs has to offer. Nose rings and tattoos are the rule rather than the exception, but don't be too fooled--or too intimidated--by the image. Although drugs and some of the city's seedier elements do show up, the majority of L5Ps grungy crowd are students, wanna-be musicians and artists, and generally-employed residents of east side neighborhoods with a taste for loud music.
An annual summer street festival brings out in crowds from all over, as natives and neighbors come out to be reminded why they prefer the more tranquil annual street festivals hosted by both Inman Park and Candler Park. Music venues like the Star Community Bar present some of the best and most promising local bands, while the Variety Playhouse puts out a consistently strong line-up that covers the full spectrum of musical acts, from jazz to folk to hard rock and back again, including such well-known performers as blues legend Taj Mahal and the locally-favorite Indigo Girls.
You won't find much in the way of lodgings, and honestly, there's not much reason to spend the night. Similarly, good eats are plentiful in L5P, but fine dining has thus far eluded the rough-edged neighborhood. You can always grab a very good burger at the Vortex (which transforms after dark into L5Ps loudest and most renowned tavern), or pull up a stool at the old-style lunch counter at the Little Five Points Pharmacy. Here and there, you'll find a few ethnic joints that are worth their salt, but the best grub within reach is at the Flying Biscuit Cafe, six or seven blocks to the east in Candler Park, where the masses line up outside on Saturdays and Sundays, waiting for a shot at the Caf's famous omelets and brunch plates.
Other than some funky shopping options and a glimpse into the counter-culture, the most notable attraction in Little Five stands at the neighborhoods far northwest corner: the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center and Library. It sits on several hilltop acres of gardens and ponds, the site of the camp from which Sherman observed the burning of Atlanta in 1864.